In June 2017, Konecranes and Shenzhen Energy Group Environmental Protection Company signed a contract for the delivery of thirteen Konecranes Waste-to-Energy (WtE) “GL” cranes and nineteen grapples, the company said in its press release.

The fully automated cranes will be delivered to Shenzhen Energy Group Environmental Protection Company’s plants located in the Guangdong Province, China, as part of the group’s expansion with the construction of three very modern sites. One of the three plants will be the largest and most sophisticated in the world, with 5 000 tons of waste treated per day. To this specific plant, Konecranes is delivering six of the thirteen cranes. All cranes come standard with TRUCONNECT® remote monitoring capability, and an agreement for spare parts was signed. The delivery of the cranes is scheduled to be between April and March, 2018.

The Konecranes Waste-to-Energy GL cranes feature deep groves and a pressure roller to prevent over-wrapping. The patented trolley/machinery assembly distributes equal loadings to all trolley wheels. They are also equipped with Konecranes’ standard Smart Features such as Sway Control, Slack Rope Prevention, Shock Load Prevention and Position Monitoring to improve productivity, increase operator confidence, reduce training time and thus allow the crane to operate to its full potential.

Alongside with the standard Smart Features, the combination of three elements make this project very special:

1. The Main User Interface (MUI) is Konecranes new standard for programming Waste-to-Energy automation. Accessed from the MUI station, the MUI features a computer and 23-inch LED panel screen, keyboard and mouse. This computer is fully integrated with the PLC system of the crane, while isolated from outside networks. It allows the operator to schedule and program a week-long agenda in full automation, giving plant managers enhanced flexibility to manage pit operations for receiving, mixing and burning waste.

3. The Remote Operating Station (ROS), a comfortable workstation for the operator who remotely steers the waste handling. This means that crane operators drive the crane from the control room’s screens by using camera views without physically seeing the cranes at all. A room which is a comfortable office environment for personnel.

4. Up to 30 percent of the energy used to lower each load is recaptured by Konecranes DynAReg regenerative braking system. Electricity is fed back into the network and used to run other machinery, lowering overall energy costs and reducing environmental impact.

Located in the mountainous region on the outskirts of Shenzhen, the Waste-to-Energy plant is expected to incinerate 5,000 tons of waste per day – approximately one third of the waste generated by the city's 20 million inhabitants each year.

The facility will use the most advanced technology in waste incineration and power generation with photovoltaic panels, allowing the building to generate its own sustainable supply of energy. It also hosts a series of visitor facilities, including a looping walkway that offers a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of the plant, before leading up to a rooftop viewing platform.

Konecranes has a long-standing relationship with Shenzhen Energy Group Environmental Protection Company throughout the years and it is now the second delivery for the group.

Konecranes is a world-leading group of Lifting Businesses™, serving a broad range of customers, including manufacturing and process industries, shipyards, ports and terminals. Konecranes provides productivity enhancing lifting solutions as well as services for lifting equipment of all makes. In 2016, Group (comparable combined company) sales totaled EUR 3,278 million. The Group has 16,800 employees at 600 locations in 50 countries. Konecranes class A shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki.

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